Car roof



July 19, 1932. c. D. BoNsALL 1,868,158

CAR RooF Filed sept. 2e, 195o V2 sheets-sheet 1 Il UF July 19, 1932. c. D. BoNsALL 1,868,158

CAR ROOF Filed sept. 2e. 1930 2 sleets-sheet 2 www 'Veo

Patented July 19, 1932 v *UN[Tianl sTATEs cHAELEs DAVID EoNsALL, or PITTSBURGH,EENNSYLVANIA,'AssrGNoE To 12. MUN f PHY coMrANY, oF NEW KENSINGTON; PENNSYLVANIA," A ooRPoaA'rIoN" onfpnmy sYLvANIA CAE Noor"` y This invention Vrelates to car roofs of the riveted up type wherein the roofsheets yspan from side plate toside plate. The invention is especially applicable-to that type of roof 5 wherein the body portions of the roof sheets formpanels at one level alternating and connected with panels at a lower level. In this type of roof, which is more'fully set forth in 'Bonsall Patent No. 1,526,768 granted Febru- 1() aryV 17, 1925', the sheets constitute load supporting members 'which function after the manner of a beam and make it practicable to whollyl dispense with carlines. The'principal object of the present invention' is to devise a seam construction for thisV type ofroof which will aid 'intaking Acare of stresses in the roof,1be safer against leakage and permit sheets of different thicknesses to bensed at different levels, and to decrease the weight of the roofV and increasethe strength thereof;

The invention consists principally in the seam construction and in the arrangement Y and combination of parts hereinaftery described land claimed. f v

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification yand vwherein like.

j `numerals refer to like parts whereverpthey occur, Fig. 1 is a top plan viewfof a portion of a car roof embodying my invention, Y

Fig. 2 -is an enlarged vertical transverse cross-section through one-half of the roofon the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, f

Fig., 3 is a vertical transverse cross section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, 4

Fig. 4 is a Vlongitudinal cross'sectiono'n thelinel-llinFigl,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross section.

through one of thejseams at the ridge, on the line 5 5 of Fig.l 2,

Y Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudinal cross seetions similar to Fig.- 4, showing roof sheets of 1 modified form, Y Y I Y Fig. 8 is Vavertica'l ycross ,section through the Fig. 10 is a cross section through the-joint levels 'so as Y to ,make them manner ofa beam.

roof atl the eaves,l showing aV modied: ar

between the upper andV .lower jacent sheets, showing 'a searncap -whose uplv per portionis thickerthan thelower f" According to the presentf invention, 'l Y I roof comprises sheets l1,2, which'are pitched i or arched and span from side plate' to side a e plate and have their rends vpreferalblyf turned down andriveted yor 'otherwise secured `,to -.iL i theslde'plates 3 ;anol-theL sides of 'each' sheet j Y are provided with upst-andingeflanges- Z1,v 5'.

The upstanding 'ila'nges of'adjacent sheets of the sheets.` Preferablythefbodyjofqthe p. sheet l on one sideofithe-joint or `fseamfisl abut. flatwise and are secured together by horizontal rivets 6 above thejupper '-'level atV a different level from `thatoffthe sheet 2`on the other. side'of said joint orfseam;

byY reason of which the flan'geof thelsheet '2 at the lower level is deeper than the' flange o of the sheet ,at the;'upperl level, lthe'po'rtion of the deeper -flange between theltwolevjels thusf serving 'as an odsetting'web thatfhari,

nesses togetherV the panels `at fthedifferent functiony afterfthe The `upstanding langes'of a= seam or' joint i 'are straddled by a seamcap 7 lsecured/there@` to by the horizontal rivets 6 above mentioned, which pass through the sheet flanges aswell as the legs of the seam capi The seam cap serves not only to keepmoisture from enter ing at the jointandtolprote'ct the, edges of the sheets against rusting vand*jmechanical injury, but it adds greatly tothe strengthand j load carrying'capacity 'of the sheets: fIn V`Athe design of'seam capillustrat'ed in Figfbgthe legs thereof` are of unequal'length and 'are' bent at 'their lower. portionsto f )rm`,hori` Y Vzontalflanges ,8 immediately above `the "ire,-

spective sheets.

plates of such thickness andfoldedonsuch f longitudinallines as to providej such4 amount `of `metal and 'at 'such` places as may-be needed n `to satisfy the computations of Athe designer.

Usiially, such platesare-of substantially unil f legs thereofpwith each leg Vbentllaterallyl onlongitudinal lines thatv diverge upwardlly from a point atthe mid length thereof;

" Thethickness yor such seam covers may be uniform or not. It is an important advantage of the seaincap that it 'reinforces the vertical flanges or web Vportions against buckling and protects them from mechanical inl. jury and thereby contributes greatly lto the strength of the roof.A Tt isa specia-ladvan- Utage; of the seam cap illustrated in Fig. 10 thatt enables the metal to be concentrated v'as desired at the uppermost portion thereof.

The design of roofjv sheet admits of varia-` tion, For instance, in the construction vshown Sheet 1 ,of thedrawings, the. body port-ion of some roof sheets is wholly at; the upper levelend the body "portion ofgother roof sheetsfis wholly at the lower level, the sheets A Iljgattheupper level having relatively nar- Y l row vflangesfll'alpng eacliside. and .thesheets 'I 1EZ ,at thelower levelhaving relatively deep Hanges jaloi'ig-eacli side; *In-the'construclongitudinal line 9 near the medial line thereofgsothatY onehalfof the body portion conf sttutesga panel l0 at the upper ylevel and is provided withz a narrowv side flange 11 v -wliilethe other'half of thebody portion V:constitutesa separateypanel V1 2 at the, lower leveland isprovided'witli a wide side flange .13. 1 Sheets ofboth of these simple designs areeasy to make'without injuring the metal A,o rfthegalvanizingthereon Y 35 isoffset alongtliezlongitudinal line Sanear Infthe Construction of Fg.A 6,`each l, sheet ythe medialline' thereof, in the manner shown in Fig. 17, so that one-halfeonstitutes 'a panel V10a at the upper-level Iand .theother half constitutes apanel l2a=at the. lower level; .and Vboth panels-are provided with relativelynarrowside flanges Ylll of thesamedeptlr The sheets are arrangedony the car 'by turning every other sheet yend for end so that "the high panels of t-liejsheefts are adjacent to each other `and the low panels are` also adjacent .to .each-othen HVThe upstanding side langes lila @f adjacentpanels abut tlatwise and are 'strad-dled by` inverted U-shaped seam caps 7a secured-theretoby horizontal'rivets 6a, which pass throughtheside walls-of said seam caps eand the abutting vflanges straddled thereby.'

Y The .side walls oi'' the seam caps are bent out- V,vli'arilllvat their-lonnii edges to form lout- 55.

'I i against the panels Voi" adjacent sheets.- By

ystandingv base flanges 8f/zl tliatbearfflatwise i this arrangement, the highy andflow panels of adjacent sheets cooperate withkr eachother f tufform-y alternating'hollow, ribs and chanznels, respectively and the; seam caps,` which; fare-symmetrical by reasonof the sheets be- :ing'joined atthesame level., are disposedl v alterr'iatelv at upper and lower levels,y f Figs 8 and 9 illustrate a.y modied construc-` tionfor snpporting tlie roof sheets-"at the t' eaves ends of the transverse roof joints-- Said construction comprises an'angular flashing member 14 which is located beneath the j corners of adjacent Vsheets andeXtends a short distance on each side of the joint `between said sheets.

The vertical lange of this f angle is located between the down-turned eaves .endso'f the sheets and the upstanding' innermost flange ofthe Z-bar side platei 3 and is secured tojsaid side plate ila'ngefbfv sheets thereto. The other flange `of the angle sheet supporting bracket projects inwardly over the upper edge of theupstanding innermost lan'ge'of the Z-bar side .plate'beneath a support therefor. vAs shown inthe draw.-

the rivetswliichsecure the Yeavesends or the;

.so the body portions --oadjacent 'sheets to form t ings the inwardly extendingltlan'ge' of the e sheet supporting .branketisv` oii'set vertically? 'i l von opposite `'sides of `the roofjoint located tliereabovev so that the portion of ysaid flange atthe lower level serves asa support for-the low panel of onefsheet and thepor- Y tion 16'of said langeat the level serves Y i as a support for the high panel of the-'other langes'ot the seam cap resting thereon, are

`cap 7b', whereinithelower portions of said seanif cap below the Yrivets 'are :mad-e` thinner than the upper ,portionof the cap.V With this construction, a considerable amount of metal massed at thetop ofthe ,capfwhere it is inorefeiicient in action;

tion may'beniade of lighter sheets; especially Y the sheets ofthe upperplevel may be made lighter vby reason Yof ythe 'special cooperation -eo sheet. The panels, together-with the Vbase secured tothe verticalljr offset portionsof the sheet supporting flangeofithe bracket 14;. preferably bjr-means of vertical.y rivets. Fig; 1 represents a modified form of seamf therewith of the seam cover in relieving them` oi-la considerable part of that duty. Likewise, as the rivets are vwholly outside ofthe i roof 'covering, the seams -aord better protection against the weather-than seamsl that [.havethe rivets entering the car..l l 'Y that 1 claim is Q1. A car roof comprising sheets adapt-V- ed, arranged andSeCured together at--their Yside margins by upstanding sean'is to constituteA panelsl at one level Aalternating with pan-l els atfaditl'eient level, the edgesof .adjacent @panels being connected'byvertically disposed web portions, the'sid'e margins of adjacent sheets having upstanding flanges that abut and seam caps that straddleV adjacent lupstanding `flanges and are rigidly secured theretol Y 2. A car roof comprising roof sheets offset along longitudinal lines to form panels at different levels and provided with upstanding flanges along their sides, said sheets being arranged so that a low panel of one sheet is adjacent to a high panel of the next sheet, and sea-m caps which straddle the adjacent flanges of adjacent sheets and are rigidly secured thereto.V

3. A car roof comprising roof sheets offset along longitudinalV lines toV form panels at different levels and provided with upstanding flanges along their sides, said sheets being arranged so that a low panel ofl one sheetv is adjacent to a high panel of the next sheet,

and seam caps which straddle the adjacent flanges of adjacent sheets and are rigidly secured thereto, said seam caps having lateral lflanges disposed immediately above the ad# ljacent panels respectively.

4; A car roof comprising roof sheets adapted, arranged and secured together at their sidemargins by upstandingseams to constitute panels at one level alternating with panels at diEerent levels, .the edges of ad-A jacent panels, being connected by vertically disposed'web portions andthe side margins of adjacent sheets having upstanding flanges that abut, and a seam cover straddling said 'flanges and secured together vtherewith by Y 6. A car roof comprising roof sheets whose adjacent marginal portions are at different levels and provided withupstanding flanges that abut flatwise and seam covers straddl-ing said flanges and secured thereto, said seam covers each comprising a plate folded on itself along a longitudinal line spaced from the medial line thereof to form side Walls of un-V equal height and having outturned lateral flanges at the bottomof said walls. x

7. A car roof comprising roof'sheetsrwhose adjacent marginal portions are at different levels and provided with upstanding flanges that abut flatwise and seam covers straddling said anges and secured thereto, said seam covers each comprising a plate of unevenl thickness folded on itself along av longitudinal line spaced from the medial line thereof to form side walls of unequalheight, thek upper portion of said cover being of greater, thickness than the lower part'thereof.

8. A car roof comprising roof sheets whose adjacent,marginal'portions arefat different levels and provided with l upstanding. flanges that abut flatwise and seam covers straddling 'said flangesl and secured'thereto, said seam covers each comprising'a plate foldedlonfit-l y vself along a longitudinalline spaced from the medial line thereof to form side Walls of unequalheight, said sidelwallsihavingalined j rivet -holes :and having outturnedllanges at theloottomif y i y 9. A car roof comprising; roof' sheets l eX- tending from side plate .to sideplate with their adjacent margins atdifferent levels and -amember attached to thesideplates. and having sheet supportingtportions locatedbetween .the margins of adjacent sheets' at the levelv of each marginsy r 10. A carroofsheetwhosefbody. comprises j longitudinally extending portions arranged at'` different levels, said sheet having a relatively shallow flange valong 'the sidef margin of the upper levelfand a relatively deep flange. along. A the side margin .of the lower level.

5111A carf roof comprising `roof sheets ezr- Y tending from side plate to side plate with the 'adjacent corners of adjacent sheets atdiifer# ent levels, and sheet supportingmembers secured tothe said plates below the corners of the sheets, such members each having a flange at its topthat is osetvertically` to provide an upper ,seat for the .corner of one sheet .andV a lower seat for the corner of the adjacent sheet.y 3 Y- p f 12. Acar roof' whose longitudinal cross section comprises raised panels at one elevation alternating with ydepressed channels at I a lower elevation, saidy roof consisting of roof sheets-which have'upstanding lianges at their sidey margins, said lianges being covered with seam caps, said seam caps and said flanges bein rigidly secured together. Y

13. A car roof of the kind Whereintheroof sheets are adapted, arranged and secured together at their side margins by upstanding Y seams to constitute panels at one level-altere nating ,with panels ata rdifferent level, said roof comprising aV series of spaced roof sheets arranged at one level and forming the upper panels of the roof and -anotherlseries of spaced roof sheets arranged at a lower level and forming the lower panels of the roof and staggered with relation to the sheets of the upper level, the sheets of both series having upstand'- Y ingside flanges that'extend above the 4upper level'and are rigidly secured together.

sheets are adapted, arranged and secured toj 1120 14;. A car roof of the kindwherein the roof Y gether at their side margins by upstanding Vseams to constitute panels atone level alternating with "panels ata vdifferent level, said roof comprising a series of spaced roof sheets at one level and forming the 'upper panels of the roof and a series-of spaced roof sheetsat a lower level and forming thelower panels of the roof andstaggered with relation to the 4- I I r 1,868,158

sheets of the antignes; an f Said Sheets having'upstanding anges at the sides, and seam caps that straddleadjaeent iangesof adja- Y 'i cent sheets yanclrivets lextending horizontally lthrough said sean caps and flanges. y

l5. A ear roof having alten'natingy ribs and channels extending .erosswisefof the car, said roofl consi'stinggfv loadv sustaining sheets that y are connected togetherby seams'located. at

the tops of the ribs and intermediate Ythe side walls ofthe channels. i Y. Y f 16. A 'car roofhaving alternating ribs and vchannels 'extending crosswise of the ear,l said v roof consisting, -ofjroof sheetsthat'are con? 4nested togetherrby seams locatedvalternately ,y at upper and lower levels. f

Signed at New Kensington, Pennsylvania, this 22nd day o-Sept. 1930. 1 A i Y CHARLES IDAVIDJVBONSALL.

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